How to Uninstall IE10 in Windows 7 that downgrades you to IE9 or IE8

by Venkat eswarlu on November 14, 2012

in How to

Update: If Installed Updates not showed IE10 for you then follow the steps mentioned below at the bottom of post in Update.

If you’ve installed IE10 Release Preview in Windows 7 but don’t like it and wants to downgrade to IE9 or IE8 previous version, you can do that by uninstalling IE10 from Windows 7. Since Microsoft offered only release Preview version of Internet Explorer 10 that’s why to test it once you might have installed it and if you want to get back to IE9 0r IE8 browser version you’re using earlier in Windows 7 -some call it as downgrade from IE10 to IE8 or IE9- then follow the steps mentioned below.

IE10 installs as an update rather as a program.

You should know that IE10 will be installed as an update, that’s why it doesn’t appears in the installed programs list shown by Programs and Features instead it appears in “Installed Updates” list.

Uninstalling IE10 from Windows 7

1. Click on Start Menu>Control Panel>Programs>Programs and Features

2. Click on on “View installed updates” on the left pane.

3. Once installed updates are displayed on right-pane,  select “Windows Internet Explorer 10 “ update and click Uninstall button

Windows Internet Explorer 10 listed under installed updates thumb How to Uninstall IE10 in Windows 7 that downgrades you to IE9 or IE8

4. Click Yes to proceed with the uninstall and further click on “restart now” button to uninstall IE10 and restore previous version of Internet Explorer you’re using earlier that could be IE9 you installed over IE8 or IE8 it self.

Update: If you’ve not found IE10 under “Installed Updates” then you can forcefully remove it using Command prompt, try follow the instructions below.

  • Open Command Prompt as administrator
  • Copy and paste the below command exactly as it is and press enter

FORFILES /P %WINDIR%\servicing\Packages /M Microsoft-Windows-InternetExplorer-*10.*.mum /c “cmd /c echo Uninstalling package @fname && start /w pkgmgr /up:@fname /norestart”

You might get an error during this process, you can safely ignore it by clicking OK. Once run command process completes cursor blinking appears next to C:/Windows/System 32, then restart your Computer.

IE9 or IE8 will be there, if the internet explorer shortcut misses navigate to its directory in Program Files and create shortcut for it on desktop.

I will be happy if this helps. We’ve not tested this below, so users facing this issue can test this and let me know its results.

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{ 43 comments… read them below or add one }

insajd January 28, 2013 at 6:15 pm

Heck no, this does not work. One thing is that IE 10 really did get uninstalled. Butm it took away my iexplorer.exe file and now I don’t have IE at all! I can’t run it from nowhere.
The other thing is I cannot install IE 9 as the system tells me I already have it isntalled. What the hell am I supposed to do? I need IE to run analysis on a specific, IE-centric web application I work on…….

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Venkat eswarlu January 28, 2013 at 7:35 pm

Bit surprise to know this, using above method I got back to IE8. OK, try to remove IE9 using Fix it tool removed by Microsoft from link: http://techdows.com/2011/10/ie9-uninstallremoval-tool-from-microsoft.html and after restarting system try to reinstall IE9 you can use offline installer for that – http://techdows.com/2011/03/download-ie9-final-offlinestandalone-installer.html.
Let me know if it helps.

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Lars April 26, 2013 at 4:21 pm

Even after FixIt, it claims I got IE9 installed. But I don’t, and I need it, IE10 just doesn’t work on the project I’m on.

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Bucheron January 28, 2013 at 7:28 pm

It’s not working for ie 10
that was right on IE8 and IE9 but this time when i uninstall

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christy February 27, 2013 at 2:32 am

it saved ma life!
thxx!!!

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Venkat eswarlu February 27, 2013 at 6:35 am

You’re welcome.

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Karl March 7, 2013 at 5:01 am

I am running IE10 but there is no option there to remove IE10. It shows IE9 and when I try to remove that it fails IE9 removal.
Any other suggestions please?

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Jim March 18, 2013 at 11:44 pm

I tried the instructions above, but there is NO IE listed in that “view installed updates” column to uninstall. The IE10 is listed as “successful” downloaded in Auto update 3-14-13. There are .dll files missing and I can’t open IE8 which I want to keep.

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Shawn March 24, 2013 at 2:20 am

Jim, It is found under Microsoft Windows as Windows Internet Explorer 10. So far this is working for me I am uninstalling it as I type this. Will update if it doesn’t work after a restart.

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Anthi March 24, 2013 at 8:09 pm

I tried the instructions above so as to downgrade IE10 to IE8 by using all 4 steps successfully, I finally did ‘restart now’ and when my PC started again, there was nothing new!!No change has been made…

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mizan March 31, 2013 at 9:25 pm

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

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Venkat eswarlu April 1, 2013 at 8:35 am

You’re welcome mizan, next time before typing comment make sure your CapsLock is off.

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Carlo April 2, 2013 at 6:16 pm

It worked for me!
I had IE10 installed in my pc with Win7 (32bit). The procedure suggested above worked perfectly, and now I have IE9 again.

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Venkat eswarlu April 2, 2013 at 6:35 pm

Glad to know that it worked for you. You’re most welcome to Techdows.

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Chris April 2, 2013 at 8:22 pm

I had the same problem as insajd. After my uninstall of IE 10, (back to IE 9) it removed my iexplore.exe file. I have chrome loaded so can still access the internet, but am not able to reinstall 9 (it says it is already loaded), the fixit tool was able to reset my security settings, but there is no iexplore.exe.

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Rick April 3, 2013 at 2:42 am

Worked perfectly! I followed the listed steps one by one and got right back to EI 9 without any problem! Thank you.

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Venkat eswarlu April 3, 2013 at 8:55 am

You’re welcome Rick, I am glad that you’ve got wanted IE9 back by following my article.

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Scott April 5, 2013 at 7:31 am

This worked. Saved a friend a lot of heartache. Thank you.

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Venkat eswarlu April 5, 2013 at 10:00 am

You’re welcome to Techdows Scott. Hope you like staying on my site bit long for reading articles.

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Neelam Thakur April 5, 2013 at 7:32 pm

I want to revert back to IE 9, but I do not see it in the ‘View Installed Updates’ List. I do not see the Entire Microsoft Windows Group. Please advise. I prefer not to have to do a system restore.

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Oneg April 6, 2013 at 6:55 pm

Thanks.. worked for me.. I got right back to ie 8..

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Venkat eswarlu April 6, 2013 at 7:58 pm

Happy to know that Oneg, you’re welcome to Techdows, hope you enjoy reading articles of mine.

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vina April 8, 2013 at 12:54 am

I tried to uninstall IE -10 , but unable to, get the following message an error has occured and is this connected to security essentials?

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Mo April 8, 2013 at 11:14 pm

Thank you! It did work for me.

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Venkat eswarlu April 9, 2013 at 6:10 am

Glad to know that and you’re welcome MO.

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jess schulman April 8, 2013 at 11:33 pm

now that i’ve managed to un update ie, how do i make sure that ie doesn’t re-update itself again?

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Venkat eswarlu April 9, 2013 at 6:10 am

Jess you need to download and install IE10 automatic update blocker for Windows 7, http://techdows.com/2013/01/ie10-automatic-update-blocker-toolkit.html.

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Reza April 11, 2013 at 11:25 am

Thank you .it was great. good luck

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Venkat eswarlu April 11, 2013 at 4:26 pm

You’re welcome Reza.

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Mike April 17, 2013 at 7:41 am

Venkat eswarlu,

By utilizing the above described procedure to uninstall IE10 then reinstalling IE9, will I lose my favorites?

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Venkat eswarlu April 17, 2013 at 10:11 am

We don’t know about that, but its better for you to copy and save them another location so that you can restore them if that happens.

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Mike April 18, 2013 at 5:35 am

Thank you Venkat.

I will do that.

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Venkat eswarlu April 18, 2013 at 8:53 am

You’re always welcome Mike.

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barnabas path April 26, 2013 at 9:44 am

I find it curious that Venkat responds to everyone that has success but to those that do not, is silent. The procedure described above does not work for me since IE10 is not in the Installed Updates. Many others above have noted this as well but with no responding comment.

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jon May 1, 2013 at 7:58 pm

I noticed that also. Don;t help additional folks, just accept thanks.

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Byron Slade April 27, 2013 at 1:43 am

This worked absolutely great. Perfect instructions, perfect process, perfect result. BIG THANKS to Venkat … you’re my superhero of the week.

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Yama May 3, 2013 at 2:55 pm

With my computer, it worked perfectly! Thanks for sharing the knowledge.

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Brian Griffin May 3, 2013 at 7:57 pm

I tried it and it didnt work, this ie 10 will not come off the pc and its not listed in the updates. Tried to disable it and reenable it in Turn windwos features on and off, didnt help. No other install will work, just spins for a minute and never loads up. Firefox and Chrome work but that doenst help with our programs we use here at work.

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Venkat eswarlu May 3, 2013 at 8:27 pm

I’ve updated the post, please follow the procedure mentioned in update and let me know the result, thanks.

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ron May 7, 2013 at 4:11 pm

it’s work. thank u

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Venkat eswarlu May 7, 2013 at 4:32 pm

Glad to know that.

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Toto May 16, 2013 at 11:20 am

Thanks guys,

wow, just followed the basic instruction you gave and voilla, i’m back to Internet Explorer 9 without any hiccups.

Once again, much thanks and keep up the good work.

Regards,

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Venkat eswarlu May 16, 2013 at 12:30 pm

You’re welcome.

Reply

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